First You Must Start With ABC
by 221-heartlines
Summary: When the Memebers of the ABC begin to ship Enjonine and Éponine's heart is broken by Marius maybe something will happen. Modern AU
1. Chapter 1-The Café

**I thought I might try another Enjonine fic with more chapters. I think I'm getting a better feel for how to write them. This pair are my OTP so I hope I'm doing them justice, please can you review because I want to improve. **  
**This was inspired by the fics _Just your normal High_ _school clique _and _Coffee for the edge of evening _**  
**I hope you like it. **  
**Please Review :) xoxoxo **

Chapter 1 -The Café-

The Friends of the ABC were all sat round one Coffee Table in their Favourite Café (the Café Musain) Laughing and Joking. Going clockwise around the metal table there was Hypochondriac and med student Joly who was talking to Drunk Grantaire about who knows what. Then there was intelligent Feuilly and Romantic Jean Prouvaire talking about some musical film that they wanted to watch, Activist Courfeyrac and Philosopher Combeferre were talking about the lecture they had just come from. And then there was brave and selfless Éponine and Marble Man Enjolras happily chatting about the Friends of ABC's new policies.  
They were all sat round involved in there various conversations occasionaly adding to someone else's discussion when the door of the Café banged opened to show the last member of their group. Marius stood un-aware of the gaze of every customer in the café as he bounded over to his table of friends. There was a collective murmur of defeat as he came over to them. "Marius you're late." Enjolras said shooting him a disdainful look over Éponine's head. Because at his entrance she had frozen mid-sentence. Marius ignoring this interruption bounded over to Éponine light in his eyes and a smile that would rival the Cheshire cat plastered on his face. "Éponine" he sighed in a singsong voice. Éponine looked up at him meeting his misty eyed gaze reluctantly. "Thank you" he sighed. "no problem"she said with a hint of sadness underlying her throw away comment. "'ponine i was lost and now i'm found!" he said doing a little twirl "she's perfect and sweet and the best person I have ever met. She is the Love of my life"  
"thats great Marius" she said a slight quiver in her voice. "Would you excuse me?" with out collecting her things she hurried away out into the cold. There was a silence where every-one glared daggers at Marius.  
It was common knowledge that Éponine loved Marius everyone knew apart from the blind fool himself. Combeferre looked at Enjolras who sighed and collected her things together then left the same way that Éponine had.  
Jean Prouvaire and Feuilly gave each other pointed looks. It was there mission to make the two best friends realise their feelings for each other. But knowing the Shared stubbornness of Enjolras and Éponine, this could take a while.

It didn't take them to long to shake off Marius. He practicly skipped out of the door. Completely oblivious to his friends preoccupation and ill-disguised anger. As soon as he had left they all put their heads together.  
Jean Prouvaire started of their conversation in his usual manner " did you see that!" he squealed, to Joly, Grantaire, Combeferre, Courfeyrac. This meant nothing. But Feuilly cracked a smile at his friends words.  
"Either I'm really drunk, or I'm missing something big here" Grantaire slurred. Slumping on the table.  
"you are really drunk" agreed Combeferre."but what's going on?"Combeferre rounded on Jean Prouvaire and Feuilly. He really didn't like being in the dark.  
"Well..." Feuilly began but Jean Prouvaire butted in.  
"we totally think Éponine and Enj should get together!"he rushed  
The rest of them spluttered. apart from Grantaire who nodded "I see that" he nodded again. Grantaire knew Enjolras better than any one (accept from maybe Éponine.) as he had known him since primary school.  
the others looked at him.  
"yeah" he continued trying and failing to sit up "'Ponine knows things about Enj's life that non of us know and I would bet He knows her better than us. They are like Soul Mates or something! but I mean what do i know" ha began to slump again "I'm just his drunk oldest friend."he said sleepily. The rest of the ABC stared at him.  
"what?" It was Courfeyrac who broke the silence.  
"now you come to mention it. I see it." Joly agreed.  
"what?" Courfeyrac repeated.  
"Just think about it" Joly began "think back to the day we met Éponine, now think how he has changed since." Joly and the rest of them nodded but Courfeyrac still looked sceptical  
"no just let us explain" laughed Feuilly

**I think primary school is the same as Elementary school in America. Thanks for reading, please review. :) xoxoxo**


	2. Chapter 2-The Bridge

**Sorry I took a while to update but I have a English cause-work deadline next week.  
I decided against doing a flash back because it wasn't right just yet in the story. Ooops sorry. :) **  
**so onto the story.**  
**please R&R thanks**  
**(ohh and thank you for the feedback) xoxoxoxo **

The cold air hit Enjolras as he left the Café. He hurriedly pulled his coat on as he began his hunt for Éponine. He knew Éponine's tough exterior she was Sensitive and vulnerable. As he hurried through Paris he fumed at Marius for upsetting her. She was bissoted with him but he never saw her there, every time he walked or brushed passed her she would flush and turn misty eyed. If Enjolras saw her being addressed by Marius directly, Éponine would smile and drop her head to the floor. Enjolras didn't know why this annoyed him so much, he reasoned with himself that it was because she was his best friend and he knew that Marius would let her down. He also knew that Marius was spoiled and clueless about the effect he had on people. The idiot didn't notice that he annoyed the rest of the ABC half to death and he didn't notice that Éponine was so deeply in love with him.  
Enjolras shook himself out of his revery to focus on the task at hand. He tried to rack his mind to think of any-ware Éponine had mentioned she would go for comfort. Certainly not home he thought bitterly. Enjolras was more concerned about Éponine than the rest of his friends would be they would be worried about what Marius had done to her but only he knew her and knew what she had gone through. And he was scared for her.

Éponine stood on the bridge over the Seine watching the river swirl. She found the bridge to be a place of peace and calm. The sound of distant voices laughing and shouting were wafting away on the breeze. The only sound was whooshing of the Seine and the slapping of the bow waves from the boats. The occasional car zoomed past and a lazy cyclist would trundle past. The sound of their wheel spokes ticking away. Éponine leant on the parapet of the Seine Bridge gripping the edge tightly. Tears splashing onto the stone ledge. She chuckled bitterly. It was hear 4 years ago when she had first met Marius, 4 years ago he had changed her view on the world. She had always said that love didn't exist, that it was a fairytale we told each other. Until she had seen Marius he looked lost lugging a backpack round. She had offered to help the intention of robing him. But he had treated her like a person, rather than a charity case. From that moment she had known that love did exist even if it was out of reach to someone like her.

She woke her self from her thoughts as she heard someone calling her name "'Ponine!" "Hey Ep!" she quickly whipped away any traitor tears from her face. Taking a big breath she turned around. She saw the Statuesque figure of Enjolras jogging towards her, his blond curls bobbing as he ran. "EP!" he came to a halt next to her. He quickly survayed her face and then saw the anguish in her deep chocolate eyes.  
"I brought your stuff, you left it in the Café" he said concern on his face. Handing her a battered cotton messenger bag. Still looking worried.  
"yeah, thanks" she said trying to make sure he didn't notice the red crying rings round her eyes. She turned back to the river she said "Kind of beautiful don't ya think?" when there wasn't a reply from her marble friend she turned her head to send him a reasuring but weak smile.  
"Ep?" he said slowly putting a hand on her shoulder and pulling her round so she had to look at him in the face. The blue and brown eyes me in a moment of understanding.  
"uhu" She said feigning nonchalance staring at her feet.  
he teatered on the edge of asking why she was here but something in the brunette's eyes made him change track. Instead he just asked  
"you OK?" trying to leave the question as open as he could  
Then Éponine began to pull at her sleeve with shaking fingers avoiding looking at him. She was never comfortble with sharing even with Enjolras. It felt like she was burdening him with her petty problems

"Yeah..." she stuttered "He just took me by surprise" She looked down tears forming in her eyes. Sighing Enjolras pulled her into a friendly embrace. The kind gesture was too much for Éponine she broke down tears spilling from her eyes. Enjolras smoothed the back of her hair. For the first time since Marius and Cosette had met she felt completely secure. With Enjolras she wasn't the toughened street rat she was the teenage dreamer. She was É a while Éponine pushed back from Enjolras's chest tear tracks down her face.

"How did you know to find me here?" she said a quivery note still in her voice.  
"You met him here" he said simply looking down at her. She was touched that he had remembered he piece of information that she had given him over a year ago.  
They stood in silence for a while. When Enjolras saw the calm returning to her eyes he said to her "you ready to go?" she gave him a small apprehensive nod. Putting a friendly arm around her shoulder he began guiding her back towards the Café.

**Thank you again for the reviews they do help. xoxoxo  
****I will update as soon as I can :) **


	3. Chapter 3-The making of plans

**Helloooooo. I think this chapter is a bit of a filler but hey ho**  
**Ohhhhh I got my tickets to see Les Mis in the West-end EEEEEEEk can't wait  
xoxoxoxoxo**

As the days went by the initial traumas caused by Marius's love life were sliding into the distance. Éponine was back to her normal sarcastic self. But every now and then the people who knew her well (Joly, Grantaire and Enjolras) could see her eyes fill with pain. But after the first week of Marius and Cosette's dating even those began to subside. The Friday. A month after the incident with Marius in the café the ABC were sat at the same table in the same café on another Stormy afternoon. "Whats everyone doing this weekend?" Marius asked. The rest of the ABC were so surprised to not hear the words Cosette or Love in the sentence they all looked up from what they were doing. "Why?" Éponine's question was loaded with suspicion.

"I thought we could meet up." They all nodded. It had been ages since they had all met up together. For a reason other than their protest The protest in question was against the biased nature of their local justice group who were sat around the table had all been brought together by their views of equality and justice. But they had all agreed (without him knowing) that without Enjolras the protest would have just stayed as a glorified idea.  
"yeah" Marius continued, encouraged by his friends interest in what he was saying. Since that day in the café his friends had been cold shouldering him. He didn't understand why though.  
"And you could all meet Cosette!" They all groaned and went back to the mess of papers and maps on the Table in front of them.  
"No NO don't be like that" he cried looking round at them all. They all purposely avoided his puppy dog eyes. "you just need to meet her and then you'll find out how perfect and beautiful she is and..." Marius was rambling again. So Éponine thought the time was right for her to interject.  
"well" she started slowly "I already know her so.." she trailed off. There was a collective titter around the table.  
Marius sighed and grabbed Éponine's wrist pleadingly. She let out a soft hiss that only Enjolras heard as he was sat next to her. He shot Marius a death glare and Marius dropped his hold on her. Enjolras knew that last night had been particular bad for Éponine, the robbery her father had planed had failed. He had come home angry and turned on Éponine's sister. But Éponine not wanting the thirteen year old to be hurt took her beatings. This had all been explained to Enjolras that morning when Éponine had called him up in a tears and asked to meet. No-one else knew about Éponine's home life not even Marius.  
"Please 'ponine!" He begged smiling at her not noticing Enjolras still eyeing him with the upmost contempt.  
"Not unless someone else is there with me!." She exclaimed looking around at them all with imploring eyes.  
They all shifted uncomfortably at their friends gaze.  
"Fine! Fine! I'll go" Combeferre was the first to crack. He rung his hands instantly regretting his rash decision.  
They all sighed but his agreement was quickly followed by Joly, Jean Prouvaire and Feuilly. After a pause Courfeyrac agreed with a resigned sigh.  
"Ok" Éponine turned slowly on two of her closest friends. "You two?" Grantaire looked positively terrified at Éponine's cold gaze. "i...i..."he stuttered "Am... going over there" he said before springing up and rushing away still reeling from his massive alcohol consumption. The rest of the table laughed at their friends discomfort, then they all turned to Enjolras who shot a stoney look back at them. "Please Enj?" she begged  
"What? to listen to him whining on for a day about Cosette! sorry but no!" he said folding his arms defiantly.  
"But Cosette's going to be there!" Marius explained, patronising Enjolras. Until the look in his eyes whipped the smile of his face. Éponine got up and hugged Enjolras from behind. The rest of the group laughed at his obvious discomfort at this display of physical affection.  
"No" he said shrugging her off.  
"Please" she said giving him puppy dog eyes.  
"No!" He laughed. The others marvelled because if any of them had pushed him they would be on very thin ice by now. Jean Prouvaire sent a look at a still sceptical Combeferre who gave the hopeless romantic a small shake of the head. Whilst this was going on Éponine was still goading Enjolras into Submission.  
"Please, please, please, please!" She exclaimed. Practically dancing with irritation at her friends stubbornness.  
"Jesus Enj just go" Grantaire said returning with a fresh bottle in his hand.  
"No!" He said but everyone could see that his resolve was weakening. The evening continued on in this manor until they all decided to head to their separate dorms. But as they were leaving the café and the old air hit them.  
"FINE FINE!" Enjolras exclaimed throwing his arms up in the air as a sign of defeat. They group of teens cheered and Grantaire crooned  
"Has our dear friend 'ponine broken our marble friend" This statement was followed by more whooping laughs. Enjolras sighed and rolled his eyes, "Shut up Wine-cask." They all laughed nudging Enjolras's arm. Even Éponine was laughing.  
"Fine were are we meeting then." Enjolras had now accepted defeat. This was also a deflection from his heightening embarrassment.  
"Mine" Grantaire surprised them all. He had extremely strict parents who disapproved of pretty much every thing the Grantaire was. they all looked at him startled.  
"What they are out of town." He emphasised they.  
"Fine then see you on saturday" Grantaire said stumbling off. Combeferre caught him and helped him into a taxi. They all exchanged "see you's" and "byes" before

**Please review. And i'll try to update soon xoxoxo :D**


	4. Chapter 4-The Attack

As Éponine watched all of her friends depart to their collage dorms. She sighed as she made her way back home. Although she was a collage student too, (In English literature) her funds would only take her so far, so she stayed in her prison of a home. She took care of her siblings as well as her studies, Her brother Gavroche was living with Courfeyrac but she still kept an eye on him. Courfeyrac had never been the most mature person she had met. And then there was her sister. Azelma was 14 and through all the hardship she had stayed a Naïve dreamer. She was weaker than Éponine, so Éponine was her mind as well as her carer. Keeping an eye out for her father's drinking or Montparnasse obscene advances. She protected her as well as she could taking her beatings when her father had a bad night. As soon as Éponine opened the door she knew tonight would be one such night. There were cans of beer and cider littered every-were, and drunken shouts from the living room. Trying as hard as she could to not make a sound she crept through the dilapidated hall and up the rickety wooden stairs. But half way up, the door from the living-room swung open to reveal a swaying Babet. "'p'nine" he slurred. She hissed and tried hurriedly to escape upstairs . "na...na...na, 'p'nine 'p'nine c'm c'm 'ere" he drunkenly gesticulated, violently waving his arms at her. Then stumbling up the stairs she dragged her by her arm down the stairs. But as she was unstable his stumbling pulled her down the lasts three stairs. She fell painfully on back, knocking the wind out of her. The sound of her falling and Babet's cursing brought her Father out of the living room .He was even more intoxicated than Babet. As he tripped his way over to them he growled for Babet to leave. "'ponine? why you dis'urbin' our evenin'?" He growled at her pressing on her shoulder to keep her on the floor. She struggled trying to break his hold on her. "No, c'm on 'ponine gimme 'n answer" She bent down to her he could feel the alcohol on his breath. He gave her two sharp blows to the side of the face. "'ponine WHERE WERE YOU!" he roared at his daughters trembling form. "o...ou...out" she choked before another blow to her gut stopped her. "ou'? ou' OUT" he bellowed.  
Alzelma had woken at the sounds of her father she knew her sister was in trouble but she was paralysed with fear. So she sat tears coursing down her face sadness filling her.  
Back down stairs Éponine's father had given her one last stomp on her hand and staggered back into the living room jeers erupting as he regaled his story to the rest of the drunken theives.  
Éponine lay curled up on the floor blood trickling down her face. A dull throbbing sensation all over her body. With a small grunt of pain she pulled her self into the kitchen. WIth a shaky sigh she balled her-self up under the table crushing her eyes up tight. She waited for the sheer terror to finish. But as the hours passed and the lull of male voices slid into the sounds of snoring. The terror stayed. She went for her phone wanting to hear a kind voice. wincing as she moved her bruised body she pulled her phone out of her jeans pocket and held it in her none bruised hand. Looking at the screen which was blurred by tears she shakily punched a number into her phone. She would be surprised if anyone picked up as it was 3am but it was worth a try. But to her surprise Enjolras picked up on the third ring even though his voice was still thick with sleep. The phone call went as following.  
"Enj?"  
"Ép? Ép whats wrong?"  
"i...i"  
"Éponine whats wrong, where are you?" He repeated his question now sounding fully awake.  
"I...I...hhhome" She stuttered.  
"Right I'm coming to get you"  
"No! i'm i'm fine." She coughed  
"Ép you aren't OK please just let me come and get you. Can you stand?"  
"ii...i think so" she said shaken.  
"Right I'm going o meet you round the corner of your street OK?" He was speaking slowly his voice sounded calm to Éponine, but he was pacing round his living room pulling his coat on.  
"NO!" She choked out "They'll hear you. the...the café"  
"I can't let you walk that far."  
"It's not far please...Enj?"  
"Yes 'Ponine?"  
"I'm scared"  
"Fine meet me at the café in 10 minutes." after she had hung up he rushed to his car. Leaving he herd the door klick, As he blindly drove down the winding Parisian streets towards the Café, they all had been given keys by their friend Muschetta to the back room (completely legally). They were all resigned to use them as the Café and it's staff had put up with them for 3 years now. But tonight was a special case. As he pulled up outside the Café he began to wonder if he should have caved so easily, Éponine was stubborn and detached. For good reasons. He couldn't have imagined how she must of been feeling. Her last words were still ringing in his head has he paced. After another 10 minutes he began to try and call he. But at 3:30he saw the staggering form of his friend tripping down the street. He ran over to her and felt his heart stop as he saw the state she was in.


	5. Chapter 5-The Aftermath

**Soooooorry for being so late I have had mock exams and all sorts going on. oooops sooooooooooorry**

The shock flitted across Enjolras's marble face at the state his best friend was in. Éponine's face was puffy and blooded she had bruises blossoming across her arms and one circling her Left eye. She was doubled over and Enjolras assumed that she had received more bruising across her Stomach. She took another Staggered step towards him. He rushed to her and tried to support her. This was a harder task than it would appear as her whole body was tender from her beating. She winced as he caught her by her shoulder. Inspecting her by the yellow glow of the street light he could see tear tracks snaking down her face. He sighed and gently pulled her into the café. He sat her down on the leather couch and fetched some ice and sat down opposite her. After a while he felt he needed to break the silence between the two of them. "Ép, what happened." He said leaning over the shin height coffee able between them she looked at him with her deep brown eyes and sent him a timid smile  
"the usual" she said wincing as she dabbed her eye with the ice.  
He sighed looking at his friend. She could be immensely stubborn.  
"Ép please I can help." He said she snorted at him.  
"no-one can." A tear fell down her face and she winced again at the salt water stung the lacerations on her face.  
"Ép you are in no fit state to be denying help." he paused to gauge her reaction and then he dropped a bomb shell on her "Ép... I called the police."  
"WHat" she yelped tears now falling thick and fast from her eyes splashing down her cheek bones.  
"I had to ponine" He said rushing to her and trying to comfort her. But she shrugged him off turning away.  
"Enj...why" she chocked her hands beginning to tremble.  
"Ép I had to." he pleaded with her.  
"YOU HAD NO RIGHT!" she yelled at him.  
"I had to"he repeated at a loss of what to do  
"NO YOU DIDN'T. I WAS DOING FINE! GETTING GOOD GRADES MAKING FRIENDS. I WAS EXCELLING UNTIL I GOT THE CALL ONE DAY THAT MY COLLAGE FUND HAD BEEN EMPTIED." Enjolras knew this as her had been there to support her but she shook her head and struggled to her feet she carried on even though the violent movement made her hiss with pain "MY DAD HAD EMPTIED IT TO BRIBE A COPS! TO KEEP OUT OF JAIL." she was now shaking with indignation "THEY WILL NEVER MAKE IT STICK. DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND. THEY WILL NEVER MAKE IT STICK SO THAT WILL LABLE ME AS THE KID WHO IS ABUSED. I WILL BE THATSighing KID. I WONT LET IT HAPPEN. I WONT. I won't" She faltered tear clouding her vision. Sighing again Enjolras stood up and pulled her into a hug. She pressed her face into hid shoulder clutching the front of his shirt. He muttered a mixture of comfort and apologies to her as she regained control of herself. They stood in companionable silence for what seemed like forever until Enjolras's phone dinged.  
**R:were r u?  
**Enjolras looked down at Éponine not sure what to tell him  
"Tell him" She said as she seemed to read his mind.  
"But ep..." he was interrupted by his phone.  
**R:is Ep with you?**  
**Enjolras :?**  
**R:Her dad's bin arrested!**

**AN**  
**hi sorrrrrrry that I have been neglecting the story and will try to post more regally but can't promise anything because of Exams. **  
**So Long for now :) **


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